


steady hands (and steady heart)

by Ro29



Series: "Be the Rarepair content you want to see in the world" [14]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Banter, Hardcase Lives (Star Wars), Hardcase deserved better, Hurt/Comfort, Kix is wonderful and I love him, M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, Minor Injuries, Your Honour I love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:00:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28042806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ro29/pseuds/Ro29
Summary: “I hope you’re aware,” Kix says, voice even and hands steady even as his heart jumps, “that all of your blood is supposed to beinsideof your body.”
Relationships: Hardcase/CT-6116 | Kix
Series: "Be the Rarepair content you want to see in the world" [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022017
Comments: 9
Kudos: 50





	steady hands (and steady heart)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SonicFairyspell13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicFairyspell13/gifts), [Everything_or_Anything](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everything_or_Anything/gifts).



> y'all don't understand how incandescently happy i am that I didn't have to make the tag for this pairing up.
> 
> Everybody in the discord is an Enabler and I am a longsuffering fool who finds the pairings wonderful and _shiny_
> 
> Anyways, I love them and please for the love of everything do Not examine this too closely it Will Fall Apart sdkjlskdfj

“I hope you’re aware,” Kix says, voice even and hands steady even as his heart jumps, “that all of your blood is supposed to be _inside_ of your body.”

Hardcase huffs out a laugh, breathes shakily, “Sorry Kix, figured a change of pace would be nice.” he jokes. And Kix might appreciate the attempt at humour more if the talking wasn’t taking more out of Hardcase than Kix would like.

Hardcase grins up at him, eyes dazed and Kix notes worriedly that he probably has a concussion which is _not good_.

Kix focuses, places another bacta patch on the wound and wraps it tight as he can without shifting the ribs or disturbing any possible breaks or fractures. He rummages through the medpack again, looking for anything that can help that he might’ve missed during his first frantic checks.

He comes up empty with a curse, the pack is well and truly ravaged and Kix takes half a second to tear himself a new one for grabbing the _wrong karking pack_ during an undercover op.

He takes a breath, there’s no use lingering on it any longer, it was stupid of him but it’s already done and now he needs to deal with the consequences of it and also keep his dumbass boyfriend alive.

Today, Kix thinks with a slightly hysterical note, is going _wonderfully_.

He looks down at Hardcase and grimaces, looks around with a curse, he doesn’t know how much longer this spot is going to be safe and he really doesn't want to test anything right now, not with Hardcase how he is and Kix as frazzled as he is. The chances that Kix will miss something are high right now, and he refuses to be the reason anything else goes wrong.

He takes a deep breath, lets out one final, _vicious_ curse and exhales.

“Alright ‘case,” he murmurs, keeping an eye on the rushed and unsatisfactory patch job he’s done. It’s the best he can do for now but it still makes him worry.

Hardcase blinks open his glazed eyes, and Kix’s heart is pounding in his chest, “There we go, eyes on me sunshine, we gotta get going.”

Hardcase frowns, “Where?” he asks and Kix doesn’t like how his voice slurs.

Kix looks around the _far_ too open room and grimaces, “Anywhere but here right now, someplace easily defendable if we’re lucky and, preferably, somewhere with proper med supplies.”

Hardcase hums, “Oh,” he says, fumbling hand finding Kix’s and giving a weak squeeze in what Kix realizes is supposed to be reassurance, “M‘kay, I trust you.”

Kix swallows against the knot in his throat and forces his breathing to even, his heart to slow.

He doesn’t know why that is hitting him so hard right now, he’s a medic, the men trust him everyday to save them and patch them up, even when it’s for something dumb and idiotic. Hardcase, with his sunshine smiles and enthusiasm for everything, has always made it clear he trusts Kix, never once made Kix doubt that.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Hardcase is injured and Kix is frazzled in a way that leaves him feeling off balanced. Maybe it’s the fact that Kix has already made far too many mistakes to trust _himself_ right now. But the amount of trust Hardcase has in him is, at that moment, almost overwhelming.

Kix blinks his eyes clear, sets all those thoughts and worries and emotions aside for later, when he can bring them back out and process them without something going wrong. He rolls his shoulders back, settled now, and less frazzled than before, with a game plan and a better focus.

He presses a kiss to Hardcase’s hand and whispers a quiet, “ _Thank you_.”

Hardcase hums and Kix reaches forward, gently, carefully, pulls Hardcase up. It takes a little longer than he would like, but eventually he gets them up, slings one of Hardcases arms around his shoulders, wraps his arm around Hardcase’s waist.

They move, slowly, and Kix keeps them out of sight as best as he can. Ducks into alleys and blends into the crowd as best he can, makes only one stop to buy some more bacta patches and then continues on his way.

He is overwhelmingly thankful for the fact the cloaks they’re wearing hide Hardcase’s injuries and the fact that they’re clones when he catches sight of some people scanning the crowd.

Kix makes sure to twist in circles for a bit after that, just to make sure he’s lost them.

Hardcase’s breath hitches and Kix presses fingers to Hardcase’s wrist, feels for the pulse and finds it still beats steadily, though a little weak. That is a relief, takes some of the weight off of Kix’s chest, but the way Hardcase is practically slumped against Kix now is worrisome.

Kix ducks into a warehouse, does a quick scan and locks the door, sets Hardcase down and pulls his blaster, does a perimeter check and doesn’t relax until he’s cleared the area entirely.

He scrubs at his face, goes back to Hardcase’s side and settles a hand on his shoulder.

Hardcase stirs with a groan and Kix nudges him until he opens his eyes, “Hey there, gotta stay awake for a bit longer sweetheart, we aren’t outta rough waters quite yet.”

Hardcase wrinkles his nose and pauses, makes a questioning sound, “Wait a sec, what about the target—”

“Everyone else went ahead,” Kix reassures him, “We didn’t lose the guy, I just stayed to patch you up and get you back safe. They’ve got it, ‘case, you’re fine.”

Hardcase frowns, not reassured and Kix squeezes his hand, “It’s fine Hardcase, everyone’s fine, now let me fix you up a little better and we can head back to the ship, okay?”

Hardcase sighs, nods, “M’kay Kixy.” Kix swallows his laugh, lips twitching as he grabs the bacta patches, “I _told_ you to stop calling me that.”

Hardcase smiles, a little dazed still but conscious and coherent, “Awww, But Kixy you know you love it!”

Kix snorts, undoes his bandaging and sticks the bacta patches where they’re needed and lets the steady bickering ease his mind, calm his heart. Once Hardcase is all fixed up they’ll head back to the ship and hopefully meet up with the rest of the squad and the target and they can worry about the rest of the op then.

For now, Kix patches Hardcase up and fights back a smile as Hardcase grins.

They’re okay.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! just a quick reminder that while i love prompts if i ask for them, I'd rather not have prompts thrown to me in the comments unless I specifically ask for them! Throwing them my way on Tumblr (when they're open) is a much better way to do it!!
> 
> Anyways! Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> If you want to find me other places I have a [writing tumblr](https://rose-blooms-red.tumblr.com) and a [fandom tumblr](https://themessofthecentury.tumblr.com)
> 
> Please come yell at me about Star Wars and DC!


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